adminPokémon Go revenue reached more than $48.5 million in in-app purchases during the game’s 10th anniversary week, according to AppMagic estimates. The record-setting period coincided with the Road to Legends event, which ran from July 6 to July 12.
Image credit: Niantic/Scopely
Pokémon Go revenue set a new weekly record
Revenue during the anniversary week was 5.9 times higher than in the previous week, making it the game’s highest-grossing week to date. Pokémon Go also ranked fourth among the world’s top-grossing apps over the same period.
The event featured rotating raids with Legendary Pokémon, Ultra Beasts and Mega-Evolved Pokémon. Players could also access signature move unlocks and special backgrounds in the run-up to Pokémon Go Fest: Global. For players planning event activities, checking the in-game schedule is a practical way to keep track of rotating raid availability.
Anniversary events and paid options
Matthew Reynolds, editor of the Pokémon Go publication One More Catch, said the anniversary week drew interest through both its event lineup and the return of Legendary Pokémon to raids. He also noted that an optional £20/$20 battle pass offered a Gold Bottle Cap, a rare item that can be used to maximise a Pokémon’s stats.
The week concluded with the annual Pokémon Go Fest: Global event and the full debut of Mega Mewtwo, a highly anticipated addition to the game. Paid event options are optional; players can review the pass contents and price in the game before deciding whether they suit their play style.
Reynolds also observed that, despite changes to monetisation since Scopely acquired the game, Pokémon Go continues to offer a free-to-play core experience. Trading, player battles and shiny Pokémon encounters have expanded the game over time, alongside two or three major features introduced each year since launch.
Downloads, revenue and global rankings
Across the 30 days covered by the data, Pokémon Go generated $98.1 million in revenue and recorded just over four million downloads. The United States accounted for 37% of revenue, followed by Japan at 27%. India led downloads with 22%, while the US represented 14%.
For July, the game placed seventh among the world’s highest-grossing apps, ahead of Roblox. Since its 2016 launch, AppMagic estimates that Pokémon Go has surpassed 700 million downloads and generated more than $6.4 billion in revenue.
Why Pokémon Go is continuing without a sequel
Following Scopely’s acquisition of Niantic, Scopely president of games Ed Wu and head of M&A operations Heather Tacskovics discussed the game’s future. Wu said a direct sequel was not considered the right approach, in part because splitting the existing community would conflict with the way players experience the game together while exploring the world.
He said any future project would need to take a different approach while retaining the idea of bringing people together to explore. This ongoing development helps explain how Pokémon Go can add new experiences without replacing the game that established its player community.
What the anniversary figures show
The anniversary period combined returning raid favourites, new or expanded event content and Pokémon Go Fest: Global, while optional paid items provided another way to participate. The figures point to a substantial short-term increase in Pokémon Go revenue, alongside continued downloads and a large long-term audience. For players, the key practical distinction is that event passes and purchases are optional, while many core activities remain accessible without them.
